Latest news with #Luca
What's On
10 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- What's On
Cala Vista: Could this be one of the best Italian restaurants in Dubai?
When you think you've tried all the best Italian restaurants in Dubai… There are some restaurants you hear about, mentally bookmark, but never make it to – until one day, you finally do. For me, Cala Vista, Mina Al Salam was one of them. It opened last year while I was away. Now that I'm back, I've been slowly catching up on all the spots I missed – and let me tell you, Cala Vista officially landed on my 'can't wait to go back' list. I thought I was just checking out another Italian restaurant – turns out, I was late to one of Dubai's best. I know, I know, Dubai isn't exactly lacking when it comes to Italian restaurants – the creamy burratas and tiramisus – we've seen it all. But every now and then, one stands out – and Cala Vista is one of those places. Why? Let's start with the setting Because whether we mean to or not, most of us are wired to judge with our eyes first – and when the setting is on point, everything else gets an early win. At Cala Vista, you're seated right in front of Burj Al Arab – not in the distance, not peeking through buildings, but in full view. Sure, we've seen it from every angle, but this one still stands out – cinematic, a little surreal, always magical. And when the food lands, the same attention to detail carries through. It looks every bit as good as it tastes. The food While I've had more Italian dinners than I can count, this one had a certain spark. We started with the Burrata Pomodori (Dhs95) – creamy and exactly how you want your burrata to be. Then came the Fritto Misto (Dhs135), perfectly crisp and ideal for sharing. The Insalata di Agrumi (Dhs70) – a citrus salad – added a clean, bright contrast to the richness of the other dishes. For mains, the La Piccant e pizza (Dhs125) brought just the right amount of heat with spicy salami. The Agnolotti (Dhs140) – braised oxtail ravioli with aged balsamic – was a favourite. Rich, warming, and deeply satisfying. The Tagliolini al Limone (Dhs130) a signature dish, with homemade pasta tossed in Parmigiano Reggiano. And if you're going with friends, the La Milanese (Dhs310) is the one to share. We finished with two desserts: Il Limone (Dhs70), a lemon sorbet served inside a hollowed Amalfi lemon. And the Bomboloni (Dhs50), fluffy Italian doughnuts with a chocolate dip – easily a favourite. Vista Brunch If you're into the brunch scene in Dubai and love Italian food, Cala Vista should definitely be on your list. Every Sunday, from 12.30pm to 4pm, Head Chef Luca and restaurant manager Pasquale are hosting the Vista Brunch – an Italian-style lunch inspired by their family Sundays growing up. Expect sharing starters, pasta mains, classic sides, and indulgent desserts. There's live music from a roaming band, making it feel like a true celebration of la dolce vita. Cala Vista, Jumeirah Mina Al Salam, Jumeira St, Al Sufouh 1. Tel: 800 323 232. @calavistadubai Images: Supplied/Instagram > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Scoop
10 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Rain Bombs Cast Cloud Over Matatā Housing Growth
Whakatāne Mayor Victor Luca says building more homes within Matatā now would be a mistake due to the potential damage from "rain bombs" and worsening weather. Matatā is one of the areas named in the draft Eastern Bay Spatial Plan as a key growth area for housing, with infill housing of up to 700 homes and the potential for development of up to 800 homes eastward of Pollen Street over the next 30 years. At an infrastructure and planning committee meeting on Thursday, council learned that since August, Whakatāne District Council has spent more than $300,000 clearing sediment and debris from Matatā catchpits after it washed down from stream catchments due to localised "rain bombs". Most of the cost was incurred between between February and May due to several heavy rain events in the hills above the town during that period. Rain bombs are usually associated with burst of heavy rain that has potential to do damage. Luca said it would be a mistake to densify Matatā with what was going on there at the moment. "Climate change is the elephant in the room and we seem to have consistently underestimated the effects. "There's a micro-climate [in the Matatā catchment]. It's not totally predictable, but it looks like things are going to keep getting worse. "These rain bombs that come - this is the second in 20 years but they don't have to be linear, there could be another one in a year or two. "This has to be fixed and the people living there have to be given some comfort." After the 2005 debris flow, the council placed sediment and debris catchpits in Matatā both at the Awatarariki Stream on the western side of the town and Waitepuru Stream on the north-eastern side of the town. A $70,000 annual maintenance budget is supposed to cover the cost of keeping these catchpits clear so that the town and lagoon do not suffer debris flooding events. Despite this, earlier this year a heavy rainfall event localised in the hills above Matatā saw sediment and debris overwhelm Moore's Bridge, which crosses the Awatarariki Stream, blocking State Highway 2 and entering properties on Pioneer Place. While some of the cost overrun for removing debris was covered from an emergency stormwater fund, $112,000 of unbudgeted spending needed to be approved which would likely come from an internal loan. This amount also included the repair of a blown out stormwater pipe in Murupara. Three waters manager Jim Finlay suggested this sediment and debris coming down the rivers could be mediated with rock weirs slowing the flow of the water, at an estimated cost to the council of $140,000. "It's terrible that we're just sitting there waiting for this to happen and you have to clean up each time and if you don't you are possibly going to have flooding down the highway and through the town from both of those streams." He likened it to "someone having a party in your house every week and you've got to go and clean up the mess". Councillor Gavin Dennis recently presented to the Bay of Plenty Regional Land Transport Committee about the Moores Bridge incident which resulted in a debris flood. He asked that the bridge be improved and that New Zealand Transport Agency and New Zealand Rail increase their maintenance on their State Highway 2 and railway bridges. Finlay said New Zealand Rail had since cleared out their culverts on the Awatarariki Stream and had further work planned for clearing culverts on the Waitepuru Stream.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Manny Abarca's wife says she's ‘desperate,' hasn't seen toddler son for 5 days
Five days after she last saw her 2-year-old son, the wife of Jackson County legislator Manuel 'Manny' Abarca IV pleaded for evidence that he was safe and would be coming home soon. 'I am just desperate for my son,' Alexis Garcia Abarca said in a text message to The Star Monday evening. Asked if she had any idea where her husband might be other than their home in Kansas City's Historic Northeast area, Garcia said she was unsure. 'I don't know,' she said. On Facebook, Garcia announced Sunday that her husband and 2-year-old son Manuel Abarca V, nicknamed Luca, were missing and that she had not seen the child since Wednesday evening. Garcia wrote that Luca was sick and did not have access to medication. She also described herself as the 'preferred and primary caregiver' for both children she shares with Abarca. 'I am asking for help as a mother that is desperate to get her son back,' Garcia wrote. She filed a police report, and the Shawnee Police Department issued an alert. As of Monday afternoon, Abarca, 37, and Luca were still listed as missing persons on the Kansas Bureau of Investigation website. The KBI said Abarca was last seen on Thursday. The Shawnee Police Department confirmed on Monday that the missing persons report is still 'currently under investigation.' 'Although phone contact has been made, we have not yet had the opportunity to verify the individual's well-being through direct, in-person contact,' department spokesperson Emily Rittman said. 'While there is no immediate indication of danger, the investigation remains open out of an abundance of caution until we can independently verify their safety and well-being.' Shawnee Police crime mapping data shows that police were called to the home of Abarca's father on Thursday afternoon in response to what was described as a domestic dispute. The Star has submitted an open records request for a copy of the police report. Abarca sent out an email to the news media in the early morning hours of Monday to say that reports of his absence were false. 'It has come to my attention that a 'missing persons' report has been filed erroneously concerning my son and me,' Abarca wrote in a statement shared early Monday morning. 'Please rest assured we are not missing and that we are both safe and healthy.' Abarca has been making appearances on the internet over the past several days. He was a vocal participant on Friday morning's weekly Zoom meeting of the Urban Summit of Kansas City, which he joined virtually. He was also active on social media Friday, sharing commentary about the ongoing Jackson County budget freeze. He did not attend the Monday afternoon meeting of the legislature's anti-crime committee, of which he is a member. But he later joined the 16-minute meeting of the full legislature via video conference and led the Pledge of Allegiance remotely. Abarca did not respond to requests for comment. He is serving his first term representing the 1st District in the Jackson County Legislature. Previously he served on the board of education for Kansas City Public Schools and was a long-time aide to U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. Recently, Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. launched a misconduct investigation of Abarca, citing what White considered Abarca's abusive treatment of county employees. 'Over the past several months, my office has received numerous reports from associates describing unprofessional, hostile, and demeaning conduct by Legislator Manuel Abarca,' White wrote in a letter to county legislators.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Jim Goodwin eyes fresh Liverpool transfer raid as Dundee United boss tells Luca Stephenson he'd love him back
The versatile midfielder had a successful loan at Tannadice but he's not the only top talent at the Reds who has caught the eye Jim Goodwin wants to bring Luca Stephenson back to Dundee United and also tap further into the Liverpool development ranks. The versatile midfielder had a successful loan at Tannadice and helped the Terrors to clinch a Europa Conference League spot. United are to open talks about trying to sign Stephenson on a permanent basis but Goodwin has admitted some other Reds have also caught his eye. Goodwin said: 'I'd love to bring Luca back, but he's under contract at Liverpool, so we'll just need to wait and see what happens with that. 'I speak to their loans manager, Matt Newberry, who I've got a good relationship with. "(Leighton) Clarkson went to Aberdeen, obviously, a couple of years ago. "He was really good to deal with again with regards to bringing Luca up. 'They've got a fantastic academy down there, as you'd imagine, so we'll try and tap into that again in the summer. 'I've already identified a couple of really good ones, but it's just whether we can get them to Scotland or not. 'It's a relationship that we'll continue to try and work on. They're a great club to deal with.' Goodwin has already made his personal pitch to Stephenson. He said: 'I had a really good conversation in depth with Luca prior to him leaving. 'He was outstanding for us and deservedly won our Young Player of the Year award. 'We missed him towards the end of the season when he was unavailable. 'We missed his energy in the middle of the pitch, his ability to break things up and his desire to get forward. 'I thought it was glaringly obvious that we missed his presence in the middle of the park in some of the games.' Goodwin knows Stephenson's loan will aid their cause at Liverpool. The United boss added: 'Luca's going back down the road speaking positively about his time at Dundee United. 'I think that's the most important thing when these loans come up. 'When they go back down to England, they're talking about the Scottish game and about how they got treated at Dundee United in a positive manner. 'That can only stand us in good stead for the summer, when we have to go and try and do something similar.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Video: Kid's Disneyland Visit Becomes Extra Special After Pluto Does This
Sometimes, a small, thoughtful gesture by a stranger can create memories that last a lifetime. Take this kid, for example, whose Disneyland visit became extra special after one of his favorite cartoon characters did something touching to make his trip a cherished one. This heart-touching video between the kid and Pluto at Disneyland has left many in tears. Visiting Disneyland is on every child's wish list. After all, who does not love to see their favorite cartoon characters singing, dancing, and spreading cheer around? Even Luca was no exception. But what made this kid's Disneyland trip extra special was his interaction with Pluto, Mickey Mouse's pet dog. Pluto won Luca's heart when he interacted with him in ASL (American Sign Language) at Disneyland. In the sweet video, uploaded by @thelacouple, Luca and his mom are seen interacting in sign language when Pluto unexpectedly leans in and signs 'nice to meet you,' 'tree,' and 'I love you' all in ASL, giving Luca a moment he will 'never forget.' Sharing her experience, the mom captioned the post: 'I don't think Pluto knew what he gave us in that moment…..He didn't hesitate. He didn't need to be asked. He saw me signing to Luca and jumped right in!' The netizens were so impressed by their sweet interaction that they could not stop expressing their joy in the comment section. One user said, 'So sweet and so special!!!!.' Even others agreed and mentioned, 'THIS is the BEST!! Cudoos to this Pluto!!' Many were even happy for Luca. One individual mentioned, 'I'm so happy for Luca, that Pluto showen that even the yellow doggie can ASL.' Others wrote, 'Disney is the best. Who would have thought Pluto would be signing. What a great experience for this lovely boy.' Meanwhile, one follower even heaped praises for Pluto's efforts: 'Oh my this moment with Pluto & with those giant paws, his signs were so clear. He even knew tree so that person knows more than just a few necessary signs for the visitors.' This cute interaction video between the kid and Pluto at Disneyland has surely left everyone loving Pluto even more. The post Video: Kid's Disneyland Visit Becomes Extra Special After Pluto Does This appeared first on Momtastic.
